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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. object — a thing
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — ground
  13. key — the most important part
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. current — electric
  16. key — for a lock
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — in music
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. land — a country
  22. current — of water
  23. object — to protest
  24. prune — to trim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com